MDPX Status

With the delivery of the magnet, we have begun testing the magnet performance.

January, 2016:

PSL group hosted an international graduate student from the University of Greifswald (Germany) to conduct collaborative experiments in October, 2015.
PSL group will host an international graduate student from the Hanyang University (South Korea) to conduct collaborative experiments in January/February, 2016.
The next announcement for collaborative student experiments will be made in late Spring, 2016.
Recent results on the formation of imposed, ordered structures in dusty plasmas formed in magnetized plasmas are reported in two papers:
- E. Thomas, Jr., B. Lynch, U. Konopka, R. L. Merlino, M. Rosenberg, “Observations of imposed ordered structures in a dusty plasma at high magnetic field”, Phys. Plasmas, 22, 030701 (2015).
- E. Thomas Jr, U. Konopka, B. Lynch, S. Adams, S. LeBlanc, R.L. Merlino, and M. Rosenberg, “Quasi-discrete particle motion in an externally imposed, ordered structure in a dusty plasma at high magnetic field”, Phys. Plasmas, 22, 113708 (2015).

July, 2015:

MDPX device is operating regularly with magnetic fields up to 2.5 T.
Magnetic field peak - 3 T (on 5-20-15).
Have changed the configuration of electrodes to allow experiments to be performed using either a powered top electrode or a powered bottom electrode.
Have performed a variety of experiments on imposed ordered structures, waves, and void formation in strongly magnetized plasmas.
Magnet is shut down for 6 to 7 weeks to repair one of the compressors and service the cryocooler.
PSL group has submitted abstracts for 7 presentations for the upcoming APS - Division of Plasma Physics meeting. Project PI (Thomas) will give an invited talk.

September, 2014:

MDPX device is operating regularly with magnetic fields.
Plasma and dusty plasma studies are being carried out up to magnetic fields of 2 Tesla.
In late September / early October, expect to begin operations up to 2.5 Tesla.
Have begun a preliminary characterization of plasma parameters (at B = 0) using a probes and spectroscopy.
Have made observations of plasma filaments - at low pressures and low rf powers.

Progress: April - May, 2014:

Progress: February - April, 2014:

February 24-26, 2014: Magnet delivery and install at Auburn University
March 24, 2014: Magnet cooling begins
April 10, 2014: Magnet coils reach superconducting threshold of 6.4 K.
April 11, 2014: Magnet coils reach equilibrium temperatures of between 4.5 and 4.9 K.
April 15, 2014: (afternoon) First charging of magnet to 0.5 Tesla field.
April 16, 2014: (morning) Charging of magnet to 1.0 Tesla field. Successful discharge.
April 16, 2014: (afternoon) Charging of magnet to 2.0 Tesla field. Successful discharge.
April 17, 2014: Generation of gradient magnetic field: 0.5 Tesla with gradient of 0.2 T/m

Photo of temperature sensors: A, B, C1, and D1 are the coil temperatures.

Magnetized Plasma Research Laboratory
(MPRL)